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Monthly Archives: December 2018

I went a little different route than usual after work recently and used the Little Library Locator app to see if anything was near. I found #7288 – which is listed on the locator app and the Official LFL Map as being on Cesar Chavez (39th), but is actually just around the corner on Kelly. This one was packed! Among other titles, I saw “The Poems of Dr. Zhivago” (I really need to see that movie sometime!), an old Reader’s Digest gigantic book about gardening, “Do Bananas Chew Gum?”, and “Snow Falling on Cedars”. It’s got some diversity in there!

Whose Boat Is This Boat? Comments That Don’t Help in the Aftermath of a Hurricane is a picture book made entirely of quotations from President Donald Trump in the wake of Hurricane Florence. It is the first children’s book that demonstrates what not to say after a natural disaster. This book is not currently in the Division92 little free library – I just had to share it, as it’s so silly.

On September 19, 2018, Donald Trump paid a visit to New Bern, North Carolina, one of the towns ravaged by Hurricane Florence. It was there he showed deep concern for a boat that washed ashore. “At least you got a nice boat out of the deal,” said President Trump to hurricane victims. “Have a good time!” he told them. The only way his comments would be appropriate is in the context of a children’s book—and now you can experience them that way, thanks to the staff of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.

Proceeds from sales of this book go to charitable organizations that support victims of Hurricanes Florence and Michael.

This book is not currently in the Division92 little free library – I just had to share it, as it’s so silly!

8 Clever Ways to Celebrate the Holidays with Books

by Jennifer Ridgway

If you’re looking for more ways to incorporate books into your holiday celebrations, here are a few fun ideas. Some of these may require DIY work (although many can also be found on Etsy). Some will be great for your kids to help you make.

These ideas are but the tip of the snowflake; if you have other ideas for making your holiday more literary, please share in the comments below!

1. Books As Gifts

This is probably the most straightforward idea. There is a book out there for pretty much everyone, even if they’re not readers. You can create a themed gift around a book: a cookbook with an oven mitt, cookie cutters, and cookie sheet; a photography book with a memory card and gift card to print photos; a picture book with a coordinating stuffed animal. Use your imagination! You could also do a book swap in place of Secret Santa or host a book swap party with your friends.

2. Book Advent Calendar

I saw this idea online and started doing it for my twins. Choose 24 books, wrap them, and stack them. Have your child choose one every night in December leading up to Christmas. You can use all holiday/winter themed books or not. You don’t have to buy all new books; I mostly use books we already own. I try to put The Night Before Christmas at the bottom and save it for December 24.

3. Eight Nights of Books

You can also adapt the above idea for Hanukkah, doing one book for each of the eight nights.

4. Books As a Christmas TreeGrab a bunch of books and stack them up so that they look like a Christmas Tree! You can place a star on top or use a book propped up as a topper. This will save you money on a tree and the trimmings, as well as being environmentally friendly. Note: This idea is better for those with older children, or you may find your baby/toddler constantly pulling out books. For a smaller tree, you can open books and stack them with the widest at the bottom.

5. Ornaments, Ornaments, OrnamentsThere are a quite a few ways to decorate your tree with bookish flair. Here are a few ideas:

Cut the pages of an old book into strips. Grab some clear ball ornaments. Open the top, and curl some of the strips of type inside. Close up and hang on the tree.

Make your favorite characters or authors into ornaments. This is a great craft to do with your kids using paper or felt.

Print out mini covers and glue them onto cardboard or thick card stock. Your kids can also help with this.

You can also create garland with some of these ideas (made by stringing book covers/characters/authors together).

6. Wrapping PresentsYou can add a bookish aesthetic under your tree with how your wrap your presents. Wrap in monogram colors that have a library/old book appeal (think burgundy, brown, and cream colored papers without shine). Then, print out a paragraph or quote from the wrapped book (or snap a photo) and tape it to the outside. Find wrapping paper with books, book titles, authors, etc. as the print (these can be found at bookstores and on Etsy). Etsy is also a great resource for book washi tape, which you could use in conjunction with single-color paper. There are tutorials online to make bows from book pages. Bonus points for using books such as AChristmas Carol for any of these!

7. Bookmarks As Holiday Cards

Rather than sending out holiday cards, make bookmarks! You could still use a family photo, but also include a quote from a book.

8. Adopt Iceland’s TraditionIn Iceland, most people receive a book as a gift on Christmas Eve. The whole family then tucks into bed to read their new book that night.

It’s labeled “library”, but it sure looks like a bookstore. Either way, it’s a room PACKED with books, and the lights even work! I’m pretty sure you could adjust it so it feels more like one or the other. From the various reviews I found (Amazon, Fat Brain Toys), it looks like a lot of the items are made from paper, and the wiring for the chandelier is fairly delicate. It also looks like it will take about 20 hours to complete – and that’s depending on your patience as well as your skill levels. So maybe not the best kit for a kid. Being made primarily with paper products, I don’t know how how long it will last, either. It definitely won’t make it more than a few days in my house with my 3 rambunctious cats! Still, it’s awfully cute and could be a neat project to work on, by yourself or with a friend.

If you do end up buying one, please let me know what you think of it, even if you don’t get around to finishing it. I’m curious what the materials and the directions are really like, and how it all works.

Just a reminder – I do not have any affiliation with any businesses here – I just thought this looked like a bit of fun.

This Little Free Library, #26048, is in right off SE Woodstock, in the low 40s. It’s right near Otto’s Sausage Kitchen & Meat Market and Laughing Planet. Another lovely little neighborhood with access to some great neighborhood businesses. The LFL definitely matches the house, and they painted song lyrics on the garage door. Neat!

I made sure to note it in the Little Library Locator. Hey, did you notice that the Little Library Locator’s background changed right after Halloween? It’s kind of a nice touch.

I’m sorry they’re late – it’s already the fourth night of Hanukkah, and I’m only just getting the books out to the LFL. My only excuse is that I’ve been sick for the last *3 weeks* with a wicked respiratory infection that now includes a sinus infection. 😣